In Atlanta, Georgia, Cyrus DeBarge is a musically talented choir director who writes rap lyrics under the pseudonym "Truth" because of his father Pastor Jacob's disapproval of rap music and his shy demeanor compared to his more outgoing best friend/brother Kris McDuffy. Cyrus also secretly works as a busboy at a club, Off the Street, where the music label of their childhood friend, teenage singing sensation Roxanne "Roxie" Andrews, is sponsoring a songwriting contest. Roxie chooses Truth's heartfelt song "Don't Run Away" as the winning entry but misidentifies Kris as Truth because the photo Cyrus submitted was of them both. Kris convinces Cyrus to let him take credit for the song because he has feelings for Roxie. As Kris uses Cyrus' verses to get closer to both Roxie's heart and his newfound fame, Cyrus begins to resent his best friend. Cyrus and Roxie get to know each other and Roxie says she can talk to him better than she can talk to Kris. Cyrus invites Roxie to perform with the choir at his church. Right after their rousing performance, Pastor Jacob humiliates Roxie in front of the congregation by calling out people who are living in "hip-hop-crisy". At the urging of his wife, Gail, Pastor Jacob goes to the club to apologize to Roxie, where he catches his son working at the club, and learns that Cyrus writes rap lyrics. Although furious at first, Pastor Jacob comes to realize his son's raps carry positive messages and rescinds his initial disapproval. The conflict between Cyrus and Kris comes to a head when they have a physical altercation at the club. Levi, the club owner, convinces the two not to let their friendship die. The two mend their friendship and during a duet with Roxie, Cyrus takes Kris' place on the stage to sing "Me and You", revealing through the lyrics that he was Truth all along. Cyrus apologizes and confesses his true feelings, but Roxie storms from the stage and wants nothing to do with either of them. At a hip hop battle contest, Cyrus calls out the winner, an arrogant rapper named Lord of Da Bling. The two battle for the trophy, which Cyrus wins by rapping to the audience that Bling is not in fact rich, but a normal person, which he found out by seeing Bling work his day job as a taxi driver. But that win didn't change anything with Roxie still angry at him. Kris eventually tells Roxie that Cyrus is a great person and only pretended he was not Truth for Kris, and they did not try to hurt Roxie: he also says Cyrus is real and that is who she needs to be with. But just when there is no happy ending, Roxie goes to church and hugs Cyrus as they sing "Let it Shine".
Cast
Tyler James Williams as Cyrus DeBarge / Truth. He is shown to be musically talented, but likes hanging back in Kris's shadow. His father is a pastor and thus was appointed choir director, but when he rocked up a gospel song, his father was unimpressed. It is stated by him that he felt like "Kris's invisible friend since kindergarten" and is stated by Roxie that while Kris looks awesome, Cyrus looks just the same as always. He works at 'Off the Street, a rapping club which he hides from with father, but his mother knows. His mother is shown to support Cyrus's like in music, and cools down his father when he gets angry. Lyla is always getting his name wrong.
Coco Jones as Roxanne "Roxie" Andrews, a famous singer and Cyrus and Kris' friend since kindergarten. Critics don't like her and call her "The singer who can't sing" which Roxie basically ignores. She has a dislike for Lord of da Bling, which is mutual, but Lord of da Bling may see her as arm candy for himself, he even says that he'll take her to dinner in his rap, but he may have just been saying that to annoy her or Cyrus. She stands up for herself in the end, not wanting to wear the ridiculous clothes that Lyla wanted her to wear. She is shown to have a fiery temper and even went as far as slapping Cyrus, when finding out that Cyrus was Truth all along.
Trevor Jackson as Kris McDuffy, Cyrus' best friend. He is mistaken for Truth.
Brandon Mychal Smith as Lord of da Bling, the antagonist of the story who humiliates Cyrus at the club. Cyrus finally defeats him by revealing his secret: his job as a taxi cab driver.
Dawnn Lewis as Gail DeBarge, Cyrus' mother who openly encourages her son to follow his dreams.
Nicole Sullivan as Lyla, Roxanne's manager and main stylist.
Courtney B. Vance as Pastor Jacob DeBarge, Cyrus' father who, throughout most of the movie, believes that rap and hip-hop should be banned from the community. At the end of the movie, after reading Cyrus' lyrics, he accepts his son's love of rap/hip-hop and supports him.
Algee Smith as Da Boss, another rapper whom Lord of da Bling defeats in order to make it to the Rap Grand Slam.
The premiere of Let It Shine garnered 5.7 million viewers, the high cable rating of the day, and obtained an adult 18–49 rating of 0.9, second only to Family Guy. It was the most watched Disney Channel Original Movie to that point of 2012 and was the #1 movie of the year across kids 6–11, tweens and teens. The Rap Battle Edition, which aired on June 30, was watched by 4.54 million people.
